Prefabricated artificial tooth and facial member



July 9, 1957 I. NEUSTADTER PREF'ABRICATED ARTIFICIAL TOOTH AND FACIALMEMBER Filed Nov. 12, 1953 IN V EN TOR.

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ATTORNEYS flnited States Patent 0.

PREFABRICATED ARTIFICIAL TOOTH AND FACIAL MEMBER Irving Neustadter,Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Precious Metals Research Works, Inc., NewYork, N. Y., a corporation of New York The invention is directed to aprefabricated artificial tooth including a combination of aprefabricated bridge or retaining member and a prefabricated facialtooth color member which is received by thebridge member. The inventionalso includes the prefabricated facial member which may serve atemporary use only to provide the dentist with a try-in or to serve asthe facial carving pattern which after being invested with the metalbridge is extracted and the space remaining acts as the mold forprocessing the permanent plastic tooth, or may be cemented to-the bridgemember to .form a completely prefabricated tooth.

The invention herein presents certain improvements and advantages overthat disclosed in my application for patent SN 329,300 filed January 2,1953 and now abandoned. This earlier application discloses aprefabricated retaining or bridge member for a tooth which comprises atransverse occlusalv portion with an integral semicircular lingualportion extending fromthe rear edge thereof. The prefabricated bridgemember forms the support for the artificial facial member. In thisearlier application the facial tooth color portion is individuallycarved to shape in wax within the bridge member to form a pattern fromwhich the plastic tooth is moulded. This prefabricated retaining orbridge member is used with a prefabricated facial member which fits intoand is retained by the bridge member and the dentist as a preliminarystep can connect the bridge member in po sition with wax, afiix theprefabricated facial member for inspection after which the bridgemembers are soldered together. This was impossible heretofore. Alsoafter assembling a bridge or restoration of one or more bridge members,he again inserts a prefabricated facial member into each bridge memberand he can examine the bridge as it actually will appear in the mouthand make such changes .as he may deem desirable. Heretofore with justthe metal part of bridge, it was diificult to visualize the finalappearance of the restoration. Heretofore too, the dentist or dentaltechnician shaped each labial or buccal portion from wax to form thepattern, which after investing andsubsequently boiling out, provided themould into which plastic of the correct color was processed, which steprequired great anatomical knowledge and carving skill.

It is an object of the invention to construct an artificial toothcombination of a prefabricated bridge member and a prefabricated facialtooth color member which will give the dentist both a preview and atry-in of a restoration in the mouth of the patient.

Another object is to construct an artificial tooth combination of aprefabricated bridge member and a prefabricated facial member forinsertion in the bridge member to use the prefabricated facial member asthe pattern for processing the permanent plastic section of the tooth.

Another object is to construct a completely prefabricated artificialtooth.

A. still further object is to construct a prefabricated facial memberwhich is insertable into a prefabricated retaining or bridge member togive the dentist both a preview and a try-in of a restoration toactually see the appearance and position of a restoration in the mouthof a patient.

Another object is to construct an insertable prefabricated facial toothcolor member which may be inserted preliminarily in order to check arestoration for appearance, position and the like and then can becemented in position within the bridge or retaining member to form acompletely prefabricated artificial tooth.

Otherobjects of the invention will be more apparent from the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawingillustrating preferred forms of the invention in which:

Figure 1 shows a front view of an artificial posterior tooth;

Figure 2 is a side view of the tooth;

Figure 3 is a rear or back view of the tooth;

Figure 4 is a central vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4- ofFigure 1;

Figure 5 is a rear view of the facial member;

Figure 6 is a front view of an anterior form of retaining or bridgemember;

.Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7--7 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a side view of the facial tooth color member of an anteriortooth;

Figure 9 is a rear or back view of the facial member for the bridgemember of Figures 6 and 7; and

Figure 10 shows a bridge member with a metal saddle secured to thebottom thereof.

The bridge member is formed of metal, usually cast and of gold or formedof plastic to be used as a pattern to be cast in metal by the lost-waxmethod. A posterior bridge member has a transverse occlusal portion 10having an occlusal surface 11 corresponding to a natural tooth and aninner surface 12. Integralwith the rear or back edge of the occlusalportion is a dependent portion which will be termed a lingual portion 13of the bridge member including a lingual wall and mesial, distal walls14 which extend forwardly from the lingual wall. The mesial, distal andlingual walls form an approximately semicircular continuous wall and theouter surface or lingual, mesial and distal surfaces conform with anatural tooth. Preferably the mesial, distal and the lingual wallsextend for a length corresponding to the length of the natural toothwhich it will' replace.- The side walls slope inwardly in conformitywith the natural shape of a tooth.

A prefabricated facial tooth color member 17 is received by the-bridgeor retaining member. It carries the color of the tooth so that it willappear as a natural tooth and forms the greater portion of therestoration or tooth. Its exposed surfaces, including the buccal, mesialand distal surfaces, are shaped to conform to a natural tooth. The uppersurface 19 conforms with the inner surface 12 of the occlusal portionof" the bridge member and the back surface 20 conforms to the inner wallof the'bridge member. A shoulder 21 on the facial member engages orabuts the edges of the bridge member. When assembled together themesial, distal surfaces of the facial member 'and bridge member form 'acontinuous tooth surface. Figure 1 shows that the bridge member iscompletely invisible from the front except for the thin front edge ofthe occlusal portion. The front edges of the mesial, distal walls of thebridge member are invisible or practically invisible behind the facialmember. The front overhanging portion 22 of the facial member is free tobe seated naturally upon the gum.

Means are provided to retain the facial tooth color member within thebridge member. The retention means may take many formsthatshown inFigures 1-5 for a posterior tooth being a pin or projection 23 whichextends outwarrdly from a wall of the bridge member and particularlyshown as extending from the inner wall of the lingual portion adjacentto the occlusal portionl A hole 24 in the back of the facial memberreceives the pin and retains the facial portion within the bridge mem-Figures 69 illustrate a prefabricated bridge and facial member for ananterior tooth as well as another form of means for retaining a facialmember within the bridge member. The anterior bridge member 27 has abiting surface or an incisal edge 28 and a lingual portion of whichmerges into a generally semicircular end 29 at the gum. Shoulders 33 ofthe facial member at the mesial, distal surfaces abut and correspondwith the edges 32 of the bridge member. The means for retaining thefacial member on the bridge member includes flange or rib means whichmay include a vertical flange or rib 30 and a horizontal flange or rib31 extending between the inner side walls of the bridge member, and bothbeing carried by the inner wall of the bridge member. One rib only maybe provided; however, since they also give greater rigidity and strengthto the bridge member, the ribs particularly illustrated are preferred.The facial tooth color member for an anterior tooth, as shown in Figures8 and 9, has a recess in the form of a groove in its back surface foreach rib to receive the same. A vertical groove 35 receives the verticalrib flange 30 and a horizontal groove 36 receives the horizontal rib orflange 31.

The facial tooth color member may serve as a test part in that when arestoration or frame of one or more bridge members has been made aprefabricated facial member is inserted in each bridge member and thedentist can see the restoration just as it will appear in the mouth andmake alterations if that should be deemed desirable. The facial membermay be ground to alter its appearance, may be cut otf to shorten it, orwax may be added to it if required. The case is then invested with eachfacial member within the bridge member so that it also serves as apattern. After investing, the facial member is removed, and a facial ofplastic may be molded into each bridge member. When a molded facial isused the retention pin is undercut and the ribs or flanges may haveholes drilled therein or undercut for permanent anchorage. Also theprefabricated facial member of the proper color may be cemented into thebridge member and form the permanent facial for the bridge member ortooth.

A metal dental frame of a plurality of bridge members may be made bysoldering together the needed number of bridge members of the propersizes and shapesto conform to the natural teeth which they will replaceand soldering them to abutments as described in my earlier application.

The occlusal surface of a posterior tooth and the incisal edge of ananterior tooth constitute biting surfaces of the bridge member. Thelingual surface tapers from the incisal edge of the anterior toothbridge member and becomes approximately semicircular at the gingival ofthe bridge member. At least a part of the lingual portion of the bridgemember is approximately semicircular or the lingual portion of thebridge member at least at the gingival is approximately semicircular.

In Figure is shown a construction in which a metal foil or member,adapted to conform to the tissue bearing surface of the mouth may besoldered to the bottom of the bridge member to form a saddle 39. Thesaddle alone may carry the retaining means for'retaining the facialmember within the bridge member if desired. The

saddle forms a part of the bridge member and also gives additionalrigidity to the restoration and provides a gold tissue surface when andwhere the dentist desires it.

The prefabricated bridge member or a plastic pattern from which thebridge member may be cast and prefabricated facial members are made informs and sizes for all or at least the principal natural teeth, such asupper and lower posteriors and anteriors, although two forms only areparticularly illustrated and described herein. Presently aboutninety-six different forms and sizes are made. The prefabricated membersare sold as articles of commerce. The bridge units may be sold as metalunits ready for immediate use as such or as plastic patterns from whichmetal units may be cast. The facial members are sold ready for temporaryor permanent use.

When a permanent facial member is molded Within the bridge member it isnecessary to provide retaining means. The means for all forms of teethfor retaining the facial member within or on the bridge member comprisestherefore at least one projection carried by an inner wall of the bridgemember. A corresponding recess is provided in the prefabricated facialmember for each projection and receives the same. It is desirable,though not necessary, to provide retaining means when the prefabricatedfacial member is cemented into the bridge member to form a permanentpart of the tooth.

The invention is presented to fill a need for improvements in aprefabricated artificial tooth and facial member. It is understood thatvarious modifications in structure, as well as changes in mode ofoperation, assembly and manner of use, may and often do occur to thoseskilled in the art, especially after benefiting from the teachings of aninvention. Hence, it will be understood that this disclosure isillustrative of preferred means of embodying the invention in usefulform by explaining the construction, operation and advantages thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A prefabricated tooth comprising a prefabricated bridge member havinga biting portion of the form of the tooth it is to replace, a lingualportion integral with the biting portion, a mesial portion and a distalportion integral with :at least the lingual portion and approximatelysemicircular in form at least at the gingival, the lingual, mesial anddistal portions having lingual, mesial and distal surfaces conforming toa natural tooth at least the lingual, mesial and distal portions of thebridge member having inner surfaces, the lingual, mesial and distalportions having substantially uniform wall thickness; and aprefabricated facial member having labial or buccal, mesial and distalfaces conforming to a natural tooth, and the back face and sidesconforming to the inner surfaces of the bridge member; a saddleextending across the bottom of the lingual, mesial and distal faces, andmeans carried by the saddle of the prefabricated bridge member and theprefabricated facial member for retaining the members together.

2. A prefabricated tooth comprising a prefabricated dental bridge memberhaving a horizontal occlusal portion, the occlusal portion having anupper surface of the form of the occlusal surface of a tooth and aninner surface, a lingual portion integral with the rear edge of theocclusal portion, a mesial portion and a distal portion integral withthe occlusal portion and the lingual portion and approximatelysemicircular in form, each portion having an inner surface; a facialmember having buccal and mesial, distal surfaces conforming to a naturaltooth, the upper surface of the facial member conforming to the form ofthe inner surface of the occlusal portion of the bridge member, and therear surface and sides conforming to the inner surfaces of the lingualmesial :and distal portions of the bridge member, and means carried bythe bridge member for retaining the facial member within the bridgemember.

3. A prefabricated tooth as in claim 2 in which the semicircular portionhas a length corresponding with the lingual and mesial, distal length ofa natural tooth above the gum.

4. A prefabricated tooth as in claim 2 in which the retaining means iscarried by a saddle secured to the bottom of the lingual, mesial anddistal portions of the bridge member.

5. A prefabricated tooth comprising a prefabricated bridge member andhaving an incisal portion of the form of the tooth it is to replace, alingual portion integral with the incisal portion, a mesial portion anda distal portion integral with the lingual portion and tapering to anapproximate semicircle in form at the gingival, the lingual, mesial anddistal portions having an inner surface, the lingual, mesial and distalportions having lingual, mesial and distal surfaces conforming to anatural tooth; and a prefabricated facial member having labial, mesialand distal faces conforming to a natural tooth, and the back face andsides conforming to the inner surfaces of the lingual, mesial and distalportions of the bridge member, and means carried by the prefabricatedbridge member and the prefabricated facial member for retaining theparts together, the retaining means including a horizontal rib integralWith the mesial, distal and lingual portions of the bridge member andextending straight across from the edges of the mesial and distalportions and a horizontal groove in the facial member corresponding withthe rib.

6. A prefabricated tooth comprising a prefabricated bridge member andhaving an incisal portion of the form of the tooth it is to replace, alingual portion integral with the incisal portion, a mesial portion anda distal portion integral with the lingual portion and tapering to anapproximate semicircle in form at the gingival, the lingual, mesial anddistal portions having an inner surface, the lingual, mesial and distalsurfaces conforming to a natural tooth; and a prefabricated facialmember having labial, mesial and distal faces conforming to a naturaltooth, and the back face and sides conforming to the inner surfaces ofthe lingual, mesial and distal portions of the bridge member, and meanscarried by the prefabricated bridge member and the prefabricated facialmember for retaining the parts together, in which a saddle is secured tothe bottom of the lingual, mesial and distal portions of the bridgemember, and the retaining means for the bridge member is carried by thesaddle.

7. A prefabricated facial member, to be used with a prefabricated bridgemember having edges, comprising a prefabricated facial member havinglabial or buccal, mesial and distal surfaces corresponding to a naturaltooth, a rear surface corresponding to the inner surface of aprefabricated bridge member including mesial and distal shouldersconforming to the edges of the bridge member, and recess means carriedby the back of the member including a horizontal groove across the backof the member and inwardly to the shoulders and a vertical groovemeeting the horizontal groove for retaining the facial member on abridge member.

8. A prefabricated tooth as in claim 5 including a vertical rib integralwith the lingual portions of the bridge member and integral with thehorizontal rib, and a groove in the facial member corresponding with thesecond rib.

9. A prefabricated bridge member comprising a biting portion, a mesialportion and a distal portion integral with at least the lingual portionof the form of the tooth it is to replace, the lingual and distalportions having forward edges, a lingual portion integral with thebiting portion, and approximately semicircular in form at least at thegingival, the lingual, mesial and distal portions having lingual, mesialand distal surfaces conforming to a natural tooth; at least the lingual,mesial and distal portions of the bridge member having inner surfaces,the lingual, mesial and distal portions having substantially uniformwall thickness, a horizontal rib integral with the lingual, mesial anddistal portions and extending to the edge thereof, and a vertical ribintegral with the lingual portion and the horizontal rib.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,223,364 Bowsher Apr. 24, 1917 1,335,734 Hanscom Apr. 6, 1920 2,044,106Schwartz June 16, 1936 2,183,353 Kroop Dec. 12, 1939 2,602,226 Peck July8, 1952 OTHER REFERENCES Journal of Allied Dental Societies, June 1918,page and plate opposite. (Photostat in Div. 55.)

